Kissing Blackened Roses
by Ayuka86
Summary: It all started with three words, I hate you, and became more than either Albel or Fayt could ever imagine. Shounen ai AlbelXFayt
1. Trois Mots Brûlants

_**Kissing Blackened Roses**_

_**Chapter I: **Trois Mots Brûlants ; Three Burning Words_

It all began with three simple words and it took only these powerful words to change his life forever. _"I hate you."_

"_What?" He had said, trying to remain his usually emotionless self while deep inside part of him died. This part was called 'hope'. Albel stood staring at his teammate for a second, using all he had in him to not let his jaw drop, his stance to slacken, and his eyes to shed their withheld tears._

_Usually, hearing those three words and in that same order never had the same effect as they did at that moment when they spilled forth so easily from his blue haired comrade's lips. He had heard those three words so many times from so many people in the past yet, this time he stood in silence and without the usual witty remark._

_He had been a fool to think the boy could do anything else but hate him. He was so foolish to go with the moment and ask the question that had been stirring and simmering in his head for the longest of times. Why had he asked that question when he already knew the answer? Was it hope? Was it a hope that through traveling, the kind hearted and naturally friendly Fayt would accept him in all that he was: a man trying to do his best and make sense of the chaotic world around him?_

_Or was it something else? A something that had Albel had been trying to lock away and ignore as it was something foreign and even frightening to him: Love? No. impossible, he did not 'love' people, but merely tolerated their existence. _

_If those two reasons were not what had drove him to wake the younger man from his peaceful slumber at god-awful hours to simply go outside and 'chat', then what did?_

It had been many months since that night and Albel still had yet to find a reason for what he did. Instead, he just trained day in and day out at the Lava Caves, his sword growing more powerful with each trust, swing, and parry while waiting for something. What that something was, he had absolutely no idea, but when it came, he would. He knew he would, but until then, he would focus on becoming stronger and stronger.

"_Albel…"_

Shaking his head furiously and wiping the sweat from his brow using his human hand, Albel tried to force the familiar voice from his mind and make it recede back to the place where memories belonged. That voice kept haunting him, both in the waking and dream worlds.

"_Albel, knock it off."  
_

"_Albel, what do you think you're doing?"_

"Albel put him down!"

"_Albel!"_

"_ALBEL!"_

Allowing his sword to slip from his clawed hand, he dropped to his knees and buried his head in his hands. He did not understand this. No matter how he tried, that voice, Fayt's voice, kept haunting him.

"_Albel, why are you surprised?"_

"_Bah," _

"_If you already knew my answer, then why did you have to wake me up and drag me out here? I'm going back to sleep."_

Those where his words, weren't they? Those were Fayt's words as he turned and headed back towards the inn, leaving the older man outside to stare at his retreating back.

"_It is the way of the world where the strong conquer the weak and dominate over all."_

Yes, he would get stronger. He would become strong enough to take what he wanted, everything that he wanted…

And he wanted Fayt.


	2. Tout se Déplace en Cercle

_**Kissing Blackened Roses**_

**_Chapter II:_** _Tout se Déplace en Cercle ; Everything Moves in Circles_

Kuro-Kaze-Ryu: Thanks Tatchan. I'm glad you like it, but I wonder what you are doing reading guy on guy stories? Did I make a pervert out of you yet? Just kidding! Also thanks for being my first reviewer.

kouga-luv: Thank you for the review and I'll try to update this as frequently as I can while working on my other stories, school, and work. I will try, I promise.

Ruine: Thank you. I also agree with you about Fayt hating Albel. It's just not in him, but I too was intrigued by the almighty 'what if..' type question. It was a little difficult (and it still is) considering that in the game I choose "I don't hate you." I love writing these type of fanfics because they are out of 'the norm' as it is said. Once again, thank you for your review and I hope to see your name again.

Falselightluna: Thanks for the review. I am glad you enjoy this story so far and I am glad I kept Albel in character. Honestly, I did not realize it until you brought it to my attention, so thank you. I was so worried that I did a horrible job, seeing as I haven't played SO3 in a few months, and I believe that keeping a character believable as well as in character is very important.

LilAngel12558: Thanks for reviewing and I am sorry it was a little (too?) sad, but I will work at it getting a little brighter (well, as bright as Albel could get).

EvilEatingSanta: Thank you and I'm glad you like this so far. I alsowant to see Albel get Fayt (and anything else too), but things are never that simple. He'll have to get rid of any and all competition first. -waves a GO ALBEL! flag-

Silverrain: I like your choice of words for your first sentence. I couldn' agree more. Also, big thanks for reading, the review, and putting this on your faves.

Dark Hikari Eien: Thank you.

* * *

He wanted Fayt, that much he knew. The answer as to why, however, he did not. Sure, the boy was friendly, but Albel Nox did not need a _friend_. And sure, the boy charmed his way easily into the heart of anyone he encountered, but what did that matter to him? 

So many questions and none of them led to answers, only to more questions. Albel considered himself an intelligent person, more so than ninety nine point nine percent of the universal population, so why could he not answer such a simple question? This fact infuriated him more so than the thought of actually wanting or needing someone else.

_"I hate you."_

Words echoed over and over in Albel's mind until the words were no longer recognizable. In time, they became nothing more than a loud slur of angry noise. Clutching his head a little tighter in attempts to block out the now inhuman screams, he did not take notice to the thin crimson stream flowing down his clawed arm and coming to a halt as tiny droplets fell to the warm cave floor. Tighter and tighter he grasped his head and yet the noise only became louder.

_"I hate you." _

_"What?" _

_"You asked me what if I hated you and I answered you. Albel, why are you surprised?" _

"I..."

* * *

It had been a while since the group had been in the Urssa Lava Caves and now that they were once again trudging their way through it, the understood why. It was hot, dangerously hot, but why would it not be? It was called the _Lava_ Caves for a reason. 

It was also filled with more fiends than one could count, each more powerful and deadly than the last. One could not walk a few feet without running into something. Not only was it tiring, but quite a drain on their items and symbology as well.

"Damnit kid, why the hell are we wandering this dump instead of getting it on with the Creator?" yelled an angry Cliff while wiping the sweat off of his blond brow. He was hot, tired, frustrated, and very cranky at that moment.

Sighing, Nel just rolled her eyes, ignored his poor choice in words, and continued her assault on the flaming creature in front of her. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right.

"We're here to train." Fayt bitterly replied as his sliced through yet another opponent and quickly flowed up with a casting of _ice daggers _just to make sure the creature was dead.

Once the party was sure all of their opponents had been dispatched, Fayt wiped his forehead with his already too wet sleeve and wiped his blade clean of his enemy's remnants.

"You do realize there are better places to train." Cliff sighed while running a hand through his blonde locks and only serving to make them stick up more. As an after thought, probably to accent his point, he added, "Cooler places."

"He's absolutely right, you know. Training in this heat_ can't_ be healthy, Fayt." Came Maria's voice from somewhere behind the group.

"Yeah, Fayt. Come on, let's go somewhere less -I don't know- HOT!" Sophia complained as she allowed herself to rest on a large bolder.

"Quit complaining and take it like a man!" exclaimed Roger as he hopped up on the bolder and punched up into the hot, steamy, and rather ransid smelling air.

"If you haven't noticed, we're women." Sophia and Maria dryly replied in unison, inciting a laugh from the rest of the group. Well, everyone except for Fayt who had gathered his things andwalked at bit further away as to say, 'let's move on.'

* * *

Finally, the group reached the one time dwelling of the great dragon loard Crosell. Placing the unconscience forms of Sophia and Roger down, Cliff pressed his palms flat against the door and pushed the gigantic door open slowly, inch by inch. Even with his Klausien strenght, Cliff found this task one of the hardest he had faced in a long time. Hopefully, Fayt wouldn't be making this pace one of their regular stomping grounds. 

Slipping past the blonde when the space between doors had become wide enough, Fayt took a few steps into the large barren room before he stopped. Stepping up behind him, Cliff placed a heavy hand on the younger's shoulder and asked, "Something wrong, kid?"

After a long moment of silence and the rest of the party (weather on their own feet or carried) followed the two men in, to find an unusualy somber Fayt and equally uncharacteristicly silent Cliff. They all watched quietly as Fayt made his way to the center of the large space as though he had expected to find something that clearly was not there. "It's not here."

"What's not here, Fayt?" Cliff asked as he scratched the back of his head, a gesture of when the blonde was confused or nervious, and made his way to where Fayt stood, staring at the ground as though it was the bringer of great sorrow. "Did you drag us here looking for something?"

Fayt remained silent for a moment until something colored a dull red-brown caught his eye. Staring intently at the floor, it did not take the young man long to realize that thesmall rust colored spatterswere actually dried blood. He kneeled down for a closer inspection.

Not too far away, carved into the hard dry soil were five thin lines spread somewhat equally in a fan-like shape. Five: the number of fingers on the human hand. This blood was most likely not that of a fiend's, but of a human. Looking around, another scar was cut into the stone like floor, presuably by a thin blade. He was here and it was reciently.


	3. S'ennuyer par Compterendu

**_Kissing Blackened Roses_**

**_Chapter III: S'ennuyer par Compte-rendu ; Missing Each Other by Moments_**

**Dark Hikari Eien: **I'll try to make the chapters a bit longer. My usual chapter size is two to five pages in Word and the occasional supper chapter of six pages. I also want to thank you for your complement about the way I tell these stories. Thank you.

**Akako**: Thank you. I'm glad you find it interesting.

**Tatchan:** (Laughs nervously) Yeah, well, if I didn't do something like that, no one would want to read the next chapter, you know? And what do you mean 'take the fun out of reading'? Are you trying to say I suck? (Punches Tat in the noggin and gives her a noogie) Yeah, we're great friends!

**EclipsedMoon: **You have nothing to worry about. I wouldn't really do anything too devastating or life threatening to Albel, so don't fret. As to things getting hotter, I don't really know yet. I'm really bad at writing in-depth scenes of blatant man-love, although I do have vivid pictures in my mind.

**Siverrain: **Yep, Albel. Sorry for the confusion. (Hands her the world record book and a pen while asking for signature) Thanks for the review.

**Ruine**: Thank you and please tell Tatchan about the complexities of using literary devices such as the imfamous Cliffhanger. She got mad at me again. (laughs and points to the reviewer response to Tatchan) Anyways, I'm glad everyone's still IC because you wouldn't believe how hard it is to write for some of them (points to pictures of Mirage, Maria, and Sophia) while people like Ciff are so unbelieveably easy! Also, you are one of the few people who don't seem to mind the short chapters. Sorry, but they may become a bit longer. Not the the point where they're almost 20 pages long type chapters, but a little longer than they are now. Regarding your question about Fayt, he's moody since that night with Albel, but I can't tell you why just yet.

**EvilEatingSanta:** I would run away too, but I guess that whatever Fayt is looking for is more important than anything or he's stupid. Hope you like this new chapter.

* * *

He stared at the dull crimson stains for a long while before anything. Finally, Fayt tore his eyes away and looked up at Cliff, who had been standing by his side the whole time. When the blue haired boy finally did speak, his voice was edged with small hints of annoyance, exasperation, and disappointment, although to the untrained ear, it was subdued. "I think that's enough training for today." 

"Uh, yeah..." With a final friendly pat to the younger boy's shoulder, Cliff turned around. Though Fayt never turned to face his now long time friend, he knew somewhere deep down; the blonde was worried about him. "You heard him, we're outta here!"

Still, after all the others had left the large dwelling once belonging to the Dragon Lord Crosell, Fayt remained standing and deep in thought. He had come all this way and yet what he searched for eluded him everywhere he went. At first, he had thought he had misplaced it or maybe even lost it, but one night when he was on the Diplo he found that he had been mistaken. He had not lost it at all.

_He had been dead on his feet all day and yet, when he did have the chance to relax and catch up on much needed sleep, the young 19 year old found that he could do neither. Late that night, he had been staring at the dull grey ceiling when the thought hit him. Why did he not simply use a Quad Scanner to find it now that he was back in civilization? Now that he had been off Elicoor II, it would no problem to find his missing item._

_Shortly after this realization, he made his way to the main deck. It would not hurt to use the ship's extra scanner to boost the power of his own. He had just finished wiring his own mini-scanner to the ship's when he had heard a melodic voice call his name from somewhere behind him. Turning, he came face to face with Mirage, literally._

_He landed hard on the cold metal floor after attempting his best impersonation of a half stoned and drunken monkey as not to fall from his chair. He stared up at the blonde Klausian woman as he rubbed his chin, trying in vain to subdue the dull pain shooting up his jaw caused by his rather nasty landing. He had never meant to get so intimate with the cold metallic floor plates, but alas, he face-first and groin second. He swore never to do that again._

_"Mirage, how long have you been there!" She simply smiled and stifled a laugh as she lent over to help him back to his feet. After the blue haired warrior was up without any chance of somehow falling back down, she sat in a chair adjacent to the one he had been in. _

_"The whole time." She stifled another laugh as reason and logic caught up with the sleep deprived warrior and he looked at her with eyes filled with shock, embracement, but not anger. "I know, I know, but it was just too tempting. You were sitting there, so lost in though. I didn't want to disturb your work, so I waited until you finished." _

_"And then you choose to attack. Cleaver…" Fayt said as though he had just analyzed the best war strategy the universe had ever seen and found it was so excruciatingly simple. _

_After a few moments of laughter and general friendly bonding, Mirage tilted her head slightly to the side and asked the question that had been on her mind. _

_"What were you trying to do." She motioned to the pile of equipment, tangled wires, and removed panels with her hand. She wasn't angry that he had taken apart part of her ship, or hacked into their scanners for personal business, but was curious about what would drive the boy to do it in the first place. As long as the mess was cleaned up before Cliff came in the next morning, it would be alright. The boy had his reasons and who was she to judge that. _

_"I…" He looked at the messy pile as though he was ashamed and after a moment bent over to clean it up. Mirage simply placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, a gesture Fayt wondered if she had picked up while with Cliff or the other way around, and smiled. _

_"It doesn't matter to me if you somehow managed to connect your scanner to the whole entire ship..." She then stood and turned to leave. _

_"Mirage, wait, I…" Fayt looked at his hands which now resided in his lap. "I' m looking for something. I think I may have lost it on Elicoor and I was hoping…" _

_"That if you could boost the signal enough, you may be able to find it even from here. Fayt, if you lost it on Elicoor, there's no telling the pin point location." _

_"I know, but it's special to me. It's my mother's and I have an idea where it may be." She nodded and placed a hand over her mouth, yawning as she continued towards the door. _

_"Just make sure you have it cleaned up when Cliff gets back." She smiled once more before the door opened with a swoosh. As the door began to close, slowly, she called back, "Or at least hide it well." _

* * *

'Great, they got infected. Tch.' He half thought and half hissed to himself. Staring in the small round mirror, Albel intently studied the series of cuts and abrasions that dotted along the left side of his sleek face. He noticed one in particular had went in only two weeks from bright red, to rust, to a dull brown, and in a matter of days to a strange yellow green with hints of white. This would simply not do. 

Albel was guessing the infection had result of some injury during his many weeks of training coupled with the less than sanitary conditions of places such as the Mosel Dunes and Urssa Lava Caves. He brushed his human hand over the cuts and savored the sting that almost immediately followed.

He remembered a time when it seemed as though he never was injured, though, saying he had never been hurt in his numerous battles would have been a stretch if not a blatant lie. Although it may have _seemed_ that way, he was the one (besides Cliff) who had been constantly getting battle wounds from their reckless fighting style and was healed by the other party members.

"Sir Albel?" Albel did not turn from the mirror to look at the young maid after she called out for him. He only nodded for her to continue or go about whatever it was she was to do. After returning to Kirlsa, Albel had gone to his childhood home, to Woltar's Mansion.

As soon as he stepped foot from the bath, Albel always secretly enjoyed a nice hot bath after battle, he headed for his room and lay down on the bed and though. He thought about the same things he always thought about since beginning his journey with the blue haired swordsman named Fayt. One though in particular lingered in his mind: What now?

Before his defeat by Fayt and then later travels, Albel never gave a thought to his future, but only assumed that war would last forever. He thought he would continue to battle until that day when some force would strike him down.

Contrary to popular belief, Albel did not think he was invincible. Albel thought he was one of the strongest warriors, but he _knew_ he was still only a man and not a god. He _knew_ that one day, he would fall, weather it be in battle or from illness. He _knew_ that one day he would die.

He had been introduced to the concept of death at an early age, when his mother succumbed to illness. The concept was further imbedded into his brain when he watched as his father was struck down before his very eyes when it should have been .

Now that there was peace between the two kingdoms, Albel was left restless and craving the dizzying action of battle. "What now?" he continued to ask himself.

"Sir Albel, the doctor is here." The maid continued as she waited for a sign from her lord to let the doctor in. He had requested one once he noticed the mars on his face were not healing properly. Before is meeting with Fayt, he would have let them be, letting nature take their course.

_Whatever will be, will be._

Fayt. Albel suddenly found himself wondering about the teen: what he was doing, where he was, what battles were he losing? Shaking his head, Albel motioned for the maid to fetch the doctor as he sat down on the edge of his bed thinking 'Fayt, an ironic choice in names'.


	4. Blessures Dangereuses

_**Kissing Blackened Roses**_

**Chapter IV: **_Blessures Dangereuses ; Dangerous Wounds_

A/N: Hello everyone, sorry for the late update, but school's been driving me crazy and the internet at my house seems to always be down when I need it. Oh well, enjoy.

* * *

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Albel waited as the doctor took out various potions, salves, elixirs, and other medicinal products from his old worn brown leather bag. The doctor was a kind old man who Albel knew since childhood. He would let no other doctor come within five feet of him. With long white hair pulled back in a tight braid, equally as while eyebrows and short beard, and friendly brown eyes, the elderly Doctor Sahnjo looked over his shoulder every few seconds to see if his patient was still there. He knew well Albel's distaste for those in the medical field as well as the _rumors_ of the young man to sending even the most qualified of medical staff running hastily to doctors with a simple swipe of his sword or flex of his claw. 

"I'm curious, Albel." The doctor confessed to the younger man as he pulled out a small terra cotta jar, opened it, sniffed at the contents, and then hastily put it back and cringing.

"Hm?" Albel replied in a disinterested voice, while examining his bedroom wall as though it was something new and unusual. He wished Sahnjo would just fix his face and be done with it, but the kind doctor was never know to just let sleeping dogs (or in this case Albels) lay. Usually, Albel would have cut the tongue out of anyone who merely hinted at wanting knowledge about Albel's personal affairs, but sadly Albel would most likely comply.

Like Woltar, Albel was fond of the doctor, seeing as how much time he had spent around the man during his youth. When his mother was sick, it had been Sahnjo who made sure to make her as comfortable as possible in her last few years. It had also been Sahnjo who had attended to him after the failed succession.

"I hear you have been troubled as of late..." It wasn't a question as much as a statement. Albel let himself fall flat on his bed and stared up at the white ceiling. Finaly, after much silence, the kind doctor spoke again. "Ah, here it is. This should make you feel as good as new."

Again, if it had been anyone else, Albel would have impaled the man for treating him so childishly, but as usual, Albel only sighed and awaited his treatment.

Albel had to bite his lower lip to keep from making noise when the medic began to apply a thick grey-green paste to his facial wounds. It smelt aweful and the seering pain was even a little much for the masochistic Albel, but the pain soon subsided into a dull throb.

Albel reached up to his face only to have his had swatted away. "Let that for a few moments so we can add the sealant and then you'll be good to go."

"Hm..." Albel replied, trying his best not to wipe themuk off his delicate face while he thought about what the doctor had said. While it was most certainly true that he had been having troubles of sorts as of the past few months, but true to his loner nauture, he would be damned to say it out loud.

"I remember when I first met my wife, oh so many, many years ago. Ah, Abigail, how I miss her..." The doctor broke the silence with a knowing nod. "I remeber her youthful beauty as if it were just yesterday. For the longest time I could not find the words to tell her how I felt. I lay awake many a night, back then. Oh, to be young again, Albel, to be young again..."

"Bah, I have no desire to hear an old man's rants on love; nor do I need advice on such matters..." Albel crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head so he was staring out the window.

"Ah, of course not. My apologies, Albel." Sahnjo chucked as he brought another terra cotta jar to the younger man while shaking his head. "Twas but an old man's ramblings."

"Hm..." Albel replied before he finally turned to face the doctor who had seated himself on the edge of the small soft bed and prepared to apply the jar's contents to Albel's face.

After everything was said and done, Sahnjo stood, smoothed the wrinkles in the white linen sheets, and handed Albel a small vial.

"What's this?" Albel asked while staring at the contents. It was a strange pale blue color, a strange concoction made from blueberries, perhaps?

"Aply that to your injuries twice a day for a week. It will keep another infection from starting." The doctor nodded as he collected his things and made his way to the door. "Oh, and Albel..."

"Don't try to figure it out, for you shall find no answer, only more questions. Things just happen sometimes. Some call it coincidence and some call it fate. Regardless, do what you can and let the rest just happen."

With that the door closed and the doctor was gone. Glaring at the wooden door, Albel huffed and flopped back down on to his soft bed with his arms crossed. "Senile old man, what does he know..."

* * *

"Morning, sleepyhead!" Faytlooked (or rather in his case, glared) up at the blonde fighter standing over him, punching one fist into an open palm and successfully blocking the morning light from blinding the newly awakened blue haired boy. 

"It's almost noon and everyone's wondering why we haven't got a move on yet."

"It's noon?" the teen cried out, pulling his belongings into his lap and sitting up hastily, causing his head to spin and the world to move in ways that defied all things right and just. "Why didn't anyone wake me?"

"You looked like you needed the sleep." The blonde stepped away from the teen, effectivly blinding him with the light which had been behind him. The blue haired boy continued to gather his things with a sigh while the blonde could only shake his head.

It had been almost two weeks since their romp through the lava caves and they were now near Kirlsa. In a half a day (by Fayt's calculations) he would retrieve his missing item and they could leave to battle the creator. Hopefully...

As the group finished gathering their camping supplies and went over their final preparations, Fayt snuck a look at his scanner. With a sigh of relief, Fayt noted that his item was still in Kirlsa. He did not notice, however, the red head sneaking up on him.

"Is that why you've been dragging us around the world?" Nel asked, tapping the screen with her finger where the small pulsing dot was. Fayt quickly spun around and pocketed the small device.

"Oh, this?"

"I'm not stupid, Fayt. I know what that is. I've spent enough time with you to know a little about your technology. So what can be so important that you drag us around the entire planet instead of finishing the creator?"

"Well..."


	5. Diamants Rugueux

_**Kissing Blackened Roses**_

**Chapter V:**_Diamants Rugueux__ ; Rough Diamonds _

A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews! Everyone seems to be very interested to find out what Fayt's mysterious item is and all I have to say is, "You'll find out soon." Thank you for the grammar corrections too! When I get the chance (I honestly don't know when that'll be, but…) I will correct the previous chapters and correct them. Thanks for the support and on with the story!

* * *

Fayt stared at Nel for a long moment. After the red head voiced her inquires, she crossed her arms and allowed her entire weight to be supported on her left foot as she awaited the teen's answer. There had been many things she had not questioned since her first encounter with the blue haired boy and his blonde companion, but this was different. It had been weeks since the group had returned from 4D space, but they still had yet to do any more than investigate rumors on how the Sacred Orb was tied into the Creator's existence. Instead, they had been _training_. 

Sighing impatiently and cocking her head to the side with a stern glare, Nel continued to wait for the teen to answer. She would wait all day if she had to, it wasn't as though wandering the Elicoorean wilderness was any better.

"Well…" Fayt repeated as he tried to stall for time. "The truth of the matter is…"

"Continue."

"I **am **looking for something and I think Albel has it." The blue haired boy confessed with a sigh. He allowed his shoulders to fall and began to look around in attempt to not look the runologist in the eye. "I think he stole it from me that night we stayed in Paterny before we went to the lava caves to defeat Crosell."

"So you're dragging us all around the planet to get something back from that retched Albel Nox? Why did you not simply take it back then?"

"Because I didn't know it was gone for a while, not to mention I still have no clue as to how or why he has it." It was true, Fayt had absolutely no idea how Albel the Wicked had gotten a hold of his mother's treasure nor did he have any clue as to why the swordsman would want it. It was hard for the teen to invision the gruff twenty four year old clutching the smallitem so tightly. This being aside from the factof it beingbroken, missing parts, and in all together bad shape. "And how do you know it was that night in particular? Could you have lost it during your travels to the lava cave or during the fight with the Marquise? What makes you think it was then or, for that matter, what makes you so sure he stole it?"

"I…" Fayt sighed as he shifted the heavy sack on shoulder. "I just do."

Sighing, Nel opened her mouth to continue her inqusition when a large hand slapped her on the back and then came to a rest on her shoulder. "Cliff, what do you think you're doing? We were in a _private _conversation."

"Hey, at least I didn't aim lower..." Cliff said taking a step back and raising his hands in a defensive manner as Nel turned to shot him with a stern glare. "Anyway, I noticed you weren't with us and wanted to see what the hold up was. Everything alright?"

"Yeah, sorry." Fayt all but whispered as he stepped around the two and made his way to the group, leaving Nel and Cliff to watch his retreating back with faces filled with mixed emotions such as confusion and concern.

"What's with him?" Ciff nonchelantly asked, looking to Nel and shugging. She stared at him for a second and sighed, quite irritated from his lack of intelegence at the moment. Finally she began to slowly walk up the grassy hill Fayt and the others had traveled and left Ciff by his lonesome. "Seriously..."

* * *

Albel stretched and casually rolled over so he was laying on his side. He raised his still human hand above him and watched at the simple gold chain flowed like water from between his slender fingers until something of a sightly larger weight dropped down and ended the chain's graceful dance. Hanging from the thin line of gold, atiny watch slowly swung back and forth in a highly hypnotic arch. Albel watched with half lidded eyes as the broken piece of machienery made its way side to side, neverdropping a beat or changing speed, but beautifully keeping its serene arch. 

From watching its calming movements, Albel found he could easily fall asleep, a restfull nightmareless sleep. Drawing the almost obsceenly small watch from the chain and turning it over in his hand, he read the seemingly handwritten inscription. _To remembering my first who returned to the ocean of stars, until the end of time..._

A first love?

Glancing slightly up, or rather, to the right seeing as he was horizontal, his eyes spotted something outside his window. For a moment, Albel contemplated rolling over and falling asleep, but a quick flash of a familiar shade of blue made him do otherwise. Instead, he sat up and made his way to the window in what seemed one singular fluid motion. In what seemed only a fraction of a second, Albel found himself at his large bay window and staring out intently, eyes silently searching for any trace of that familiar blue so remeincent of the in-shore sea.

Nothing...

Still, he waited and searched. His eyes made their way over every visible square inch of Woltar's estate from his window. After a few moments of this Albel snickered to himself and tried to refrain from smacking himself for acting in such a foolish manner while thinking, 'Bah, why would he be here. I must have spent too much time amoung the maggots...'

Still, Albel almost grudgingly made his way back to his bed and put the small watch and chain on his bedside table. Glancing once more and thinking about the perfect movement of the watch swinging between his fingers, he fell into a dreamless sleep, something he had not experienced in a long time.


	6. Voir le Bleu

**_Kissing Blackened Roses_**

**Chapter VI: **_Voir le Bleu ; Blue in My Eyes_

A/N: Thank you for the reviews and I know it may seem a bit sudden for me to be updating, but I just had to write these ideas down. I'm glad everyone one still seems interested in this story, because I was a bit afraid and nervous when I was deciding on what Fayt's special item was until I was stuck with an idea. That idea was the name of the title, oddly enough, though it's not exactly what you may be thinking.

(line break)

It was mid afternoon when the tired and all around ragged group of warriors finally arrived at Kirlsa and as soon as they stepped foot in the eternally dusky city, they trudged instinctively for the inn.

"Wait." Nel called loud enough for only Fayt, who was no more than four or five paces ahead, to hear while reaching out her hand to tap him on his shoulder if need be.

"What is it, Nel?" Fayt asked, looking over his shoulder slightly with questioning green eyes. He stood stationary for a moment awaiting whatever she was planning to say.

"Look..." She began, but Fayt just raised a single hand as if to ask for the chance to voice his opinion as he turned to face her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to look for trouble, just what is mine."

* * *

Albel awoke, rather groggily, sometime later. As he sat up, a wave of light headedness flashed quickly, but he ignored it easily and looked to his bedside table. Good, it was still there, not that anyone would dare to invade Albel's personal space. 

Looking at the small trinket, the memory of Fayt invaded his mind and what his mind thought earlier was a flash of blue outside his bedroom window, but he quickly pushed them both away in favor of getting something to eat (contrary to popular belief and his overly slim figure, the man could easily out eat Cliff) and do something about uncomfortable result of drinking so much water before he fell asleep.

Standing, his flesh hand reached out for the small gold watch and he turned to make his way to his specially made Greeton style private bathroom. As he made his way to the faded crimson colored door, he shifted his metal claw on his arm, fingers of flesh searching for a small and almost unnoticeable metal latch. Finding it, his fingers quickly and aptly opened the personally added modification and snaked the thin chain in the inner workings of his current claw while trying to find the ideal angle to allow the watch entrance while keeping the before mentioned watch from damaging or destroying any of the small parts which allowed his claw to function properly.

Once it was inside, Albel once again closed and sealed the secret chamber and opened the bathroom door. Letting his clawed arm fall to his side, he tensed slightly as he felt the cold metal slip down into the inner chambers of the claw and come in contact with the delicate and overly sensitive skin underneath. Ignoring it, Albel went to relieve himself.

* * *

"This sucks." Fayt sighed as he rubbed his now frozen arms with his equally as cold hands in attempt to keep himself warm. Sighing again, he shifted from his crouching position in one of Count Woltar's bushes and attempted to sit down. If this kept up, it was going to be a long night... 

It seemed like a good idea at the time, keywords being _at the time, _to try to get his mother's watch back from Albel. At the time it was warm (warmer, actually, considering they were in Kirlsa), the sun was still in the sky, and he had found he could easily sneak away from the group do take care of business. Now he couldn't see anything except for a few leaves which happen to him trying to poke out his eye, cold, and Albel had almost caught him as he snuck around outside his window which forced him to take shelter in a bush as to not get impaled or cut to bits. Oh the choices...

It had been nearly three and a half hours since then and Fayt was tired of _becoming one with nature, _and seriously contemplated jumping Albel for his watch despite the before mentioned consequences. Shuttering at the thought of his dead carcass being used as a Fayt skin rug and Albel, claw raised and shimmering in the fire's light, laughing evilly while standing over the supposed embodiment of destruction, he realized he had not seen a trace of the wicked one since he had almost been caught. With Fayt's luck, Albel the Wicked decided to take a nap...

Smirking at the thought, Fayt decided to go for all or nothing as he quickly and quietly made his way to what he was sure was Albel's window. It would be stupid, not to mention suicidal to not test his little theory. Picking up a small pebble, he threw it at the window, though with not enough force to break the glass.

He waited…

And waited…

And nothing.

Figuring it was safe, or at least as safe as it could be, Fayt closed the distance between himself and the window. He looked up. The Count's estate was a two story mansion and because of such, he would need to climb up and into the room. Grimacing, Fayt thought of how the climb would leave him completely open and what could happen if he were to climb through the window at the wrong second. "All or nothing."

Placing his foot against the wall and finding a good handle on which to pull himself up, Fayt began to climb, not stopping once, afraid a halt in his climb would give Albel more time to get to the window and skin him alive.

Once he arrived at the window, he hesitated and risked a glance. He was surprised to find no trace of Albel. Smiling at his good fortune, Fayt quickly began to run up the last of the stone wall before the window in attempts to take advantage of the Albelless room. That was when he made his first mistake…

In his haste, he had lost hold of his footing. Quickly grabbing the first thing in reach, namely the window frame, he held on for all he was worth while his feet searched for something sold enough to push off of.

Exhaling as he brought his knee up onto the window ledge and relaxing slightly, Fayt nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard someone yell from the yard below. Afraid of drawing Albel's attention from the noise, Fayt all but dived into the room, which proved to be a stupid maneuver on his part…

Forgetting his foot was still on the ledge and the inch or two step up of the window frame, Fayt collided with Albel's bedroom floor face first with a loud bang and for the second time in his life had an intimate moment with a floor. This time, it was hard wood…

Scrambling to his feet and ignoring his body's protests, Fayt searched for a place in which to hide for that last blunder was sure to catch Albel the Wicked's attention. Fayt's body darted for the first thing he saw, a crimson door…


	7. Au Delà des Portes Rouges

_**Kissing Blackened Roses**_

**Chapter VII: **_Au Delà des Portes Rouges; Beyond Crimson Doorways_

A/N: Well, here it is, the newest chapter of Kissing B.R. Please don't kill me for the following chapter, because that would prevent me from writing any future ones (seeing as I would be dead and all). Enjoy!

_Scrambling to his feet and ignoring his body's protests, Fayt searched for a place in which to hide for that last blunder was sure to catch Albel the Wicked's attention. Fayt's body darted for the first thing he saw, a crimson door…_

How the blue haired Earthling managed to get himself stuck in the small one person tub was beyond his comprehension, but he knew he was done for when he heard the door's hinges slowly squeak as the door was pushed completely open and a familiar shadow loomed over his crumpled form.

Thinking back on the events leading up to his current predicament, Fayt felt himself cringe. It was then he decided he really had to stop listening to his instincts and acting upon random and often idiotic ideas that seem clever at the time. Realizing this, he focused his attention back to the matters at hand, namely him being wedged in a bathtub with a somewhat satisfied and smirking Albel Nox standing in the crimson colored doorway, a small fruit tart in hand.

God, he hated that smirk…

_Pushing the faded wooden door was a simple and painless task in itself, but Fayt was not prepared for what would come next. Crossing the threshold, Fayt immediately knew something was wrong as he felt the familiar feeling of gravity pulling his torso down as his legs slid on the marble flooring. He was falling and falling fast. Instinctively, his hands went to grab anything within reach to stop his dissent, but all he managed to grab a hold of was air._

_Using an array of skills learned from countless battles, Fayt fought to regain his balance. With grace of a palsy stricken and halfway drunken money, Fayt finally regained his balance and stood in the bathroom, taking a quick look around. Mouth agape, he looked around in amazement not at the bathroom itself with its white and grey marble interior, but at where this particular bathroom was located. Although the marble relayed a sense of timeless beauty, the set up, along with the steel forsets and flushing toilet, had the young warrior safely assuming that whoever built it must have broken almost all the rules in the Federation's books._

_It was in the mist of the teen's exploration when he heard the voice that put a terrible set of events into play. "What are you doing in my bathroom?"_

_Yelping and forgetting about marble's effect on his feet, Fayt spun around to face the source of the voice. Before he knew what was happening, Fayt found himself sliding to the side and for a marble sink. _

_In an effort to avoid the sink, Fayt attempted to sidestep, although the result wasn't exactly what he had expected. Now, instead of crashing into the small sink, he found himself in a crash course for yet another floor. Determined not to get intimate with the marble surface, Fayt did the only thing that came to mind: put his hands out in front of him and attempt a flip._

_And he would have successfully pulled off that flip, if not for the fact he took a triumpant step back afterwards and gotten his boot caught in the tub's elaborate base work. As he fell backwards, he could swear he could hear snickering._

_After landing quite ungracefully with a loud thud, banging his head against something behind him, and waiting for the stars to clear from his vision, the Earthling dared look up and froze the moment green came in contact with dark crimson._

_"Quite the nack for getting in trouble you have, wouldn't you say? Always overdoing it..."_

And there they stayed for what seemed an eternity to Fayt and a mere handful of seconds to Albel. With a sigh, Albel gracedully made his way across the marble floor towards the blue haired boy (not slipping once) and looked down at the figure wedged in his bathtub. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing, maggot?" Albel half-heartedly replied, only three quarters of the normal amout of venom lacing in his words. Using his human hand, he grabbed the younger by the upper arm and pulled. Hard.

"Ow, watch it, Albel!" Fayt yelled as the rough pulling did nothing to help his current predicument. His backside was still wedged firmly within the tub with his legs dangling over the side.

"Hm? Did that hurt? I'm sorry," Albel began with his voice dripping sarcasim and one moment away from rolling his eyes. "Would you prefer me to cut you out?"

The last part made Fayt nervious as he invisioned Albel with his katana slicking Fayt to ribbons all to protect his precious bathtub. Fighting back a shutter and preparing for another rough jurk, he did not see the devious and somewhat feral look upon the older's face. "Or would you prefer me to leave you there?"

"Huh?" Fayt looked up, surprised and debating weather or not dying from starvation while stuck in a tubwas any better thangetting sliced to bits by the guy who loathed you with everything he was, not that Fayt wasall too friendly to the man himself. He had decided to give that up a long time ago...

"Because you know," Albel's voice broke Faytaway from his thoughts. "I was planning on bathingnow, if it were not for you."

With eyes wide as saucers, a jaw hanging open enough to catch a baseball, and cheeks pink enough to put schoolgirls to shame, Fayt stared at Albel as though he were nominated saint of the year. Albel, on the otherhand, just examined the tips of his claws before reaching over to the forcet and turning on the water.

"What do you think your doing!" Fayt arched his back a little in attempts to escape the water's cool touch.

"Well, excuse me. You do realize you are in **_my_** bathroom or are you that--"

"ALBEL! Turn off this water right now or I'll--"

"You'll what?" Albel looked at the younger man with an overly calm look in his eyes. His voice, however, betrayed the anger behind them. "Tell me how much you **_hate_** me?"

"Is that what this is all about?" Fayt huffed, crossing his arms as Albel only regarded him with a steady gaze of silent anger, ignoring the water overunning the sides of his tub in sheets and flooding the floors. Was that all? Anger began to slowly mar his gentle features as his hand reached for the double edged straight razor on the sink, somewhat intending to plundge it deeply into flesh, be it Fayt's or even his own, all just to see the calming red of fresh flowing blood. Just for that he should...

"Albel, is everything alright up there?" He stopped.

Albel tore his eyes away from the bluenette and gazed towards the door, not moving a muscle. "How lucky for you..." he half mumbled to himself andhalf to the boy as he let the hand with the razor fall to his side and turned away, leaving Fayt to stare up at where he had been somewhat frightened, completely ignoring the water.


	8. Prélude à une affaire

**Kissing Blackened Roses**

_**Chapter VIII**__: Prélude à une affaire ; Prelude to a Deal_

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews and I'm really sorry it's taken me this long for me to write and upload this chapter. Over a year, in fact. So yes, you may begin to throw things now.

* * *

"What the hell is that boy doing now…" mumbled Count Woltar as he began to message the bridge of his nose in frustration and tried to ignore the water coming down, now in sheets, from his office ceiling. This was the third flood this year, although from someone titled Albel the Wicked that sounded like child's play.

Standing and still attempting to message his quickly forming headache away, the Count decided it best to get it over with and find out why Albel was flooding his study this time. Quickly making his way to the door and poking his head out, he called up to the second floor. "Albel, is everything alright up there?"

Sighing, Albel raised a fleshy finger to his chin as he tried to think of a reasonable explanation as to why his bathroom was flooded while there was a blue haired teen sitting in his tub and not just any bluenette, at that.

Albel smirked to himself, only now realizing that he could have some fun with this as well as silence the boy about the watch. Woltar would forgive him, right? If not, it didn't really matter…

"Yeah, everything's fine!" he called absently over his shoulder as he heard the sound of wood bending under the older man's heavy footsteps before turning back to the teen.

"Look, you are going to play along and you are going to do so to the best of your ability. I do not need that old fool interfering in matters that do not concern him. Got that?" Albel asked, brandishing the razor blade once more for effect.

"And if I don't?" Fayt asked, feeling rather bold.

"Let's just say you'll be wishing I killed you when we first met." Ah, yes. Danger, that what Fayt kept blatantly ignoring.

"And beside, if you're a good little slave, maybe I'll help you to find your watch."

Albel turned with a slight smirk towards the crimson doorway, ignoring the look of shock on the Earthling's face as the weight of the Wicked One's words sunk in a few seconds too late. _I knew it! I knew he was the one to take it!! _Fayt's mind yelled.

"W-wait a second, Albel!" The boy screeched as the long haired swordsman began to walk away.

* * *

"Hey, Cliff," Came the timid voice as the heavy wooden door to the boys' shared room creaked open. "Have you seen Fayt? I've been looking for him for a while now, but I can't seem to find him."

Cliff removed the arm that had been draped over his eyes, propped himself up on his elbows, and looked at the petite figure that had entered the room. "Oh, hey, Sophia."

He sat up just a little bit more before continuing, "Sorry, but I haven't seen him since we got here. I kinda just thought he wanted some time to himself, so I gave it to him."

"Oh. I see." the brunette replied dejectedly, her shoulders falling.

"Hey, don't worry about it, kiddo. I'm sure he'll be back soon." Cliff tried.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that." Two sets of eyes quickly found themselves trained on the form leaning against the door frame, with it's arms crossed, slightly behind Sophia.

"Nel," Sophia said softly. It was followed by Cliff's rough, "Don't do that!"

Nel simply shrugged in reply.

"So, what the deal with the whole ominous _'don't be too sure of that'_ stuff?" Cliff asked, his voice rising and falling as though he was telling a ghost story. "You know where he went?"

"I have an idea, yes." the redhead replied calmly. "He said he had some business to settle with Nox. So, find one and you'll find the other."

"What's that 'sposed to mean?"

An irritated sigh followed by, "Wherever Albel Nox currently is, then chances are Fayt will be there as well."

"I know that! I mean, why would Fayt ever wanna hang around that guy?!" Cliff asked, adding several exaggerated hand motions for good measure. It was Cliff's personal policy to never trust a man who wore a skirt willingly, even if said cross-dresser didn't try to brutally kill your closest friends.

"Does it have to do with how strange he's been acting lately?" Sophia asked softly, causing the redhead and the blond to once again acknowledge her presence, that had been until then largely forgotten.

"Yeah, now that you mention it," Cliff added, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Took you how long to notice?" Nel asked dryly, her eyebrows raised as she considered if what Albel had long ago said about the blond was actually true.

"But yes, it does." She continued, pushing her weight off the door frame and made to enter the room, before Cliff could start his reply. Instead, he was left with only the option to make seemingly offended faces at the redhead, which for the most part went ignored.

"Sophia," The redhead placed a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. "Fayt told me that Albel stole something precious to him that night we stayed in Peterny, right before we left for the 4D space."

"Something precious?" the youngest asked, cocking her head to the side slightly.

"Do you have any idea what it could be?" When the brunette shook her head after a moment of deep thought, Nel continued. "Apparently, because Fayt believes Albel to be the culprit, and instead of seeking a way to defeat Luther..."

"We've been walking around the whole damn planet looking for Albel." Cliff finished, heaving a rather heavy sigh. "Makes sense now that you think about it."

"So, what do we do now?" Asked Sophia.

"All we can do. We wait."

* * *

"Albel, would you knock it off already?" The blue haired Earth boy sat on cold, tiled floor of Albel's bathroom with his arms crossed and legs spread as the owner of said bathroom attacked Fayt's locks furiously with a towel. "I think you've done enough."

"You are not setting foot in my room wet," came Albel's reply as he worked the towel harder into the teen's scalp. "And besides, this new style suits you."

"What style?" Fayt asked worriedly as his hand went to his slightly damp hair before a snickering Albel indicated the teen should look to his left, with a tilt of his head.

"Oh... my..." Fayt's mouth fell open as his eyes glanced upon the small mirror hanging on the wall. His hair, it was sticking up everywhere, seemingly unaware of gravity. "Albel!"

With the scene presented before him of a sputtering wide-eyed Fayt with physics-defying hair, Albel could hold his howls of laughter no longer. "No need... to thank me... worm."

"Thank you?! For what?!"

"Everything." Albel replied, his laughter dying down to chuckles, before dying all together. Fayt, however, found nothing funny about his situation in the least. How could he? He spent the last two and a half hours cleaning up the mess Albel made, after trying to explain to Count Woltar that he had only come to retrieve an item Albel stole, only to somehow end up Albel's personal slave.

"Everything." the Earth boy repeated dryly. "So, I should be thanking you for all the times you tried to kill me or my friends?"

"Bah, made you stronger."

"Not to mention, stealing my stuff, making me clean your bathroom, and heaven knows what else?" he continued, ticking the items off on his fingers.

"Pretty much," Albel replied coolly, before the corners of his lips perked into what could be considered a sadistic smirk. "And oh, don't forget making you my loyal follower."

"You mean: personal slave?" a fine blue eyebrow decided to relocate to the boy's hairline before his whole head was covered once more with the thin, itchy towel.

"Whichever one makes you happy, fool." Fayt hurriedly pulled the towel off his head to find that Albel had left the room. From the sounds emanating from the adjacent room, it seemed the swordsman was looking for something. During this time, Fayt attempted to straighten out his hair with his fingers while standing to leave.

"Wow, I get a choice for once?" Fayt asked grandly, sarcasm clearly dripping off of each and every word as he came to the door.

"You wish, worm." Replied Albel as pushed Fayt back towards the bathroom once more.

"Now, strip."

TO BE CONTINUED...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N 2: Yeah. This chapter came out Blah, but I figured I needed to update with something, so here you are. I don't know yet if I'll go in detail or not with what happened with Woltar, but I'll probably put bits and pieces of what happened in later chapters.

I do like the whole scene with Sophia, Nel, and Cliff, though. They're all easy characters to write for, unlike Albel. It just shows that my writing has gotten a little rusty.

Oh, and like always, thanks so much for all the reviews thus far. They're highly appreciated.


	9. Le Petit Garçon Esclave

**Kissing Blackened Roses**

_**Chapter IX: **__Le Petit Garçon Esclave / The Little Slave Boy _

A/N: Although writing this chapter was a little difficult, I am pleased with how it turned out. As always, writing Albel and his interactions with Fayt was a bit tedious, if not fun, but I especially enjoyed working on Cliff's part which appears towards the end of this chapter. Hope you all enjoy this latest chapter.

* * *

"Excuse me?" cried the blue haired Earthling as his hands froze in place, his attempts at detangling his hair forgotten when his dark haired companion gave his strange set of orders. Albel, who until then had been busily digging through his fine mahogany dresser sets, stopped his frantic search and made his way towards the teen.

"You heard me. Strip," Albel countered, taking advantage of the teen's surprised state to begin what would be the arduous process of removing the soaked material from warm flesh. In a matter of minuets, the waist-guard and white vest were piled on the floor in a sopping heap, leaving the earthling in nothing more than his favorite dusky blue pants and a matching sleeveless tank-top.

"As I said before," Albel appraised his handy-work for the briefest of seconds before continuing his task of ridding the boy of his clothes. "You are **not** setting foot in my room wet."

"So, you'd rather me run around naked?" Fayt cried, shocked at both the implications of the other man's orders and having his tank-top pulled roughly over his head. It landed heavily with a wet smack on the floor next to his other shed clothing. He then focused on his attempts to grab at the hands still trying to undress his form.

"Actually, I had intended on letting you borrow some of my things," Albel replied, admirably, before his hands halted their progress towards the teen's pants and he crossed his arms across his chest. He stood, looking at the younger male a moment before, with a frightening grin, he added as airily as he could without laughing, "But if you are more comfortable bare, then by all means, don't let my sense of modesty bother you."

"What sense of modesty?" the bluenette nearly cried, all the while attempting to back way as much as possible from the maniacal swordsman who continued to stand before him. For heaven's sake, this coming from a man wore a skirt with one of the longest running slits that Fayt had ever had the displeasure of seeing.

"Touché," Albel replied easily, tilting his head to the side slightly as his grin morphed into something more along the lines of an acquiescent smirk, before disappearing. Uncrossing his arms, the dark-haired man continued, his tone darkening, "Though, as my _very _loyal servant…"

"No way, Albel!" The bluenette pouted as he shook his head angrily. It was bad enough having had to swallow his pride before in front of Count Woltar when the two had to worm their way out of trouble, with Fayt forced to act on Albel's strange orders, but now that the twenty-five year old had his way and Fayt currently as his personal slave, things looked substantially worse.

Taking another step back, Fayt felt his back press into something rather solid and angular. Chancing a peek quickly behind him, the teen found that it was the doorframe leading into the bathroom that was digging into the space between his right shoulder-blade and spine.

Slowly, Fayt turned his gaze back towards Albel with a sinking feeling in his stomach that easily reached his eyes. Then, as if realizing and reveling in the bluenette's predicament, the older male's lips curled into a malicious smile and he swiftly closed the distance between them. Leaning his slender frame against the younger male's slightly wider form, the sadistic swordsman slipped a stocking-clad knee between the other's legs.

"Now, what was it were saying, fool?"

* * *

The evening breeze felt good on Cliff's bare arms as he stood looking out on the Kirlsa sunset from their room at the local inn. He watched as orange and yellow melted into a lovely gold color which then infused with the seeping blue-black of the night sky as it made its way towards the dusty rust colored earth beneath the town's feet.

This was the second sunset the blonde man had watched from his room alone without any sign of his usual room-mate, Fayt, and it only added to the anxiety brewing in his stomach and the cold tendrils of panic which clawed at his heart. This was the second sunset in which the blonde watched and waited at the large bay window, for any trace of the figure of his blue-haired friend to appear below, making its way back to the inn and to his friends who eagerly awaited his return.

Cliff sincerely hoped that this sunset would not be the same as the previous night's had been, but as the sky beyond the western horizon lost more its golden hues to the inky darkness, he knew that his hopes would not be realized.

Then, when the western sky had given up the last of its shining gold color, the blonde turned his back to the window and resigned himself to another night in a room too quite, too big. He resigned himself to another night without his best friend by his side, another night alone.

TO BE CONTINUED


	10. La Haine et le Désir qui Lie

**Kissing Blackened Roses**

**Chapter X:** _La Haine et le Désir qui Lie / A Hate and Want which Binds_

A/N: It's been a long time, hasn't it? I hope everyone's enjoying the new year. I must say thank you all so much for the lovely reviews received since the last update. I'm glade last chapter seemed be well taken. I can only hope that this chapter will be too.

* * *

Fayt wasn't sure how long it had been since he had first made eye contact with the swordsman in front of him, nor was he aware of how long that contact had been maintained, but it must have lasted for far more than a few minutes at the very least. The bluenette's gaze was unwavering and focused. The emerald green locked on to Albel's fiery crimson with determination, but beneath the steely stare there flowed an undercurrent of discomfort. This discomfort at the situation was one Fayt just could not fully hide.

He was aware of this and knew that Albel was as well, but Fayt would not allow himself to look away. He could not look away, for to look away would signify surrender, and Fayt would be damned before he surrendered to the likes of Albel Nox.

"Well, I'm waiting," the swordsman continued with that dangerous little half-smirk that frustrated the teen to no end. That little lilt of thin lips told Fayt that Albel was enjoying himself entirely too much. To what Fayt considered to be Albel-like reasoning, this was simply a game for the other man, a small pass-time until something more interesting came along.

Or until Fayt surrendered.

Not that would not be enough, knowing the swordsman. To Albel, there was no fun to be had if and when the prey gave itself willingly. It was the chase, the challenge of running the other man down until he faltered and victory was attained, that Albel loved. According to that logic...

This game would not be over until Fayt broke.

And Fayt refused to break.

"You know," Albel practically purred, shifting his weight forward to whisper in the younger man's ear. It was almost as though Albel saw this as an act of intimacy and not an invasion of the Earthling's personal space. When Fayt instinctively pressed back harder against the door frame, the Glyphian took that as his cue to continue, "...for a moment, I could almost swear you said no to me."

A small smirk made its across Fayt's lips. Challenge accepted; if Albel wanted a game, he would give it to him, but on his terms. Albel could chase him as long as he wanted and as far as he wanted, but it would be Fayt in the end who would be victorious.

"That's because," Fayt began, placing his hand against the slightly thicker than expected fabric covering the older swordsman's chest. It was simply a matter of waiting until Albel the Wicked tired himself out. Then Fayt could take what he wanted and leave, never to look back. "I did, Albel."

A light, which had been absent in Albel's eyes before, sparked at the challenge set before him. Grabbing Fayt's wrist with his still hand, Albel spoke again in a low voice laced with something Fayt didn't care to identify. But that didn't matter much to Fayt, since the swordsman had taken the bait.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. A slave should know better than to talk to its master like that," Albel drawled, watching Fayt carefully though slightly narrowed eyes. Again direct eye contact was made for the second time. Looking into deep crimson, Fayt could literally see the gears turning in the other man's mind as the thoughts were formed and words spoken, "But seeing as you are new to this..."

Before his mind could properly register the movements, Fayt's wrist was pinned to the door-frame above his head and the fingers of Albel's metal appendage found themselves wrapped around the nape of the boy's neck. The Wicked continued, "I guess I'll just have to teach you your place."

* * *

Sunset had long since turned into night when Nel finally returned to her room in the inn. Silently, and with a stealth only known to a select few, she slipped through the door into the darkness. She had expected the other two occupants to be already asleep, so when Sophia turned away from the window to look at her and Maria looked up from her book, she was a little startled.

"Welcome back," Maria greeted softly, her eyes lingering on Nel's form for a moment, as though the redhead's slightly rumpled clothing or trounced hair could tell her the answer she sought. Just as quickly, however, her eyes returned to their place within the leather-bound tome, and Maria went back to her reading.

Nel dismissed the gesture.

"Thank you," she returned instead, moving to put down gear. Slowly, Nel went through the familiar process of disengaging straps and removing the accompanying armor. It took her only a few moments to work off the leather and metal until she was wearing only her linen tunic, but in that short time, she couldn't help but feel the piercing gaze which lingered on her back.

Looking up, her eyes made their way to Maria, who was still reading her book. Nel then cast her eyes in the direction of the window and startled slightly when they locked with Sophia's. Even then, Sophia did not return her gaze to whatever it was she had been watching through the window.

"Is there something on your mind, Sophia?" the redhead gingerly asked when the brunette failed to look away. At the sound of her name, something shifted in the younger girl's eyes, and her stare when from a blank numbness to a more natural look.

"Fayt?" Sophia asked, almost timidly. Nel couldn't help but sigh, thinking how it would not be easy to explain herself to the brunette who seemed to have thought that Nel's disappearance after dinner had something to do with Fayt's disappearance a few days earlier.

"No, Sophia," Nel started, wondering how to phrase her next sentence. By this time, the conversation had attracted Maria's attention and the book lay forgotten to the bluenette's side. "But to be perfectly honest, I wasn't looking for him."

"Why not?!" Wincing at the shrill tone, Nel debated how to continue. While it was true that she knew or at least suspected their leader's whereabouts, as she had told both Cliff and Sophia, it was not her top priority at that moment. Her main concern was the fate of her world. However, she had a feeling that stating that would not go overly well with the others, with the exception of the cool-headed Maria.

"Right now, we have slightly more important---"

"You mean, Fayt's not important?! After all he's done---"

"Sophia!" Two sets of eyes turned to the until then silent Maria.

"Fayt's an adult now. He can take care of himself if need be," Maria continued, her voice booking no room for argument yet remaining soft enough not to be considered patronizing, as if trying to placate two rival parties during an important diplomatic meeting. After she was sure there would be no interruptions, she continued.

"That isn't to say we don't miss him or that anyone wishes to replace him, but Nel's right," Ignoring Sophia's look of disbelief and Nel's quick nod, Maria's voice grew stern, stressing the importance of what she was about to say, "At the moment the battle with the Creator takes precedence. I'm sure Fayt will be back as soon as he can, but until then we have to continue forward. Even if that means leaving Fayt behind."

The sound of the door slamming shut reverberated around the room, even before the words finished leaving Maria's mouth.

TO BE CONTINUED...


End file.
